


Silver Moon's Sparkling

by BlueJay_Silvertongue



Series: Modern Age WonderPoison [3]
Category: Supergirl (TV 2015), Wonder Woman (2017)
Genre: Basically what if Supergirl and the DCEU were set on the same Earth, College student Lena, Dr. Maru is Lena's science mentor, F/F, Lena is a baby gay CEO, SuperCorp in Chapter 3, lena is a baby gay
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-08
Updated: 2018-08-05
Packaged: 2019-06-06 23:35:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,754
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15205943
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueJay_Silvertongue/pseuds/BlueJay_Silvertongue
Summary: Lena Luthor studies with Dr. Isabel Maru for a summer in Paris.





	1. Paris, 2004

**Author's Note:**

> This story does provide a bit of background for my fic Justice For All, but reading that is not necessary to understand this one!

The _Université PSL_ offers Dr. Isabel Maru three million dollars to work as one of the faculty mentors in their summer research program.

Diana calls it a summer camp. She buys Isabel a tent and sets it up in the basement.

Isabel makes Diana sleep in the tent.

But when she’s done in the lab for the night, she crawls in to join her, and she waves a printout of a retail listing in front of her wife’s sleepy eyes.

_You call it a summer camp. I call it our new villa in Switzerland._

* * *

Lex isn’t home when Lena Luthor returns from college and announces over the dinner table that she’ll be spending the summer abroad.

Lillian is, but she only makes some disparaging comment about Paris, takes a long sip of wine, and waves impatiently for one of the servants to remove her barely touched dinner plate. Lena watches in disbelief as her adopted mother rises and strolls away without another word, leaving her alone in a cold, ridiculously expensive room.

But later, Lex finds her in her bedroom, unpacking her college bags only to pack them again with clothes suitable for a summer in Paris. And when she explains to him what she’s doing, he gives her a congratulatory hug and reminds her of just how proud she is to be a Luthor.

_One day, I’m going to be as good a scientist as you. And then nothing can stop us. We’ll be the generation of Luthors that actually does this world some good._

* * *

The demographic of her fellow scientists—both the students and faculty—is _distinctly_ male.

They may be brilliant scientists.

They certainly all _seem_ rather confident in themselves and their abilities, comfortable with the fact that they are amongst the most brilliant minds of their generations, at the top of the totem pole. (They might actually enjoy the view from the top if their heads weren’t so far up their own asses.)

Lena seats herself for dinner, glances over her schedule, and waits for the first speaker. She notices the unwelcome glances from her colleagues.

Isabel watches her from across the room. She notices them too.

* * *

Each of the students submitted a proposal of their research interests with their application, and the faculty chose who would be accepted. After all, they would be working together one-on-one for two months.

“Lena Luthor?”

A voice finds her in the crowd, and Lena turns around to see her new mentor. She likes Dr. Isabel Maru’s look instantly. Her lip is curled into what seems to be a semi-permanent smirk, but her eyes are cool, assessing. Her face is sharp, but attractive in a striking, self-satisfied kind of way. She wears loose, comfortable clothes that still manage to look stylish.

Lena nods, wordless. Not, perhaps, a great start.

_I’ve read all your work, written reports and summaries on your publications, I even keep your volumes on toxicology beside my bed in my dorm—_

“What is your preferred language?” Her question is soft, accented, demanding, and in English.

Lena says _Spanish_ for no reason at all except that she knows it’s Dr. Maru’s native tongue. It’s the wrong answer, but she earns a smile from the chemist.

* * *

Diana stumbles into their home close to midnight with all the pomp and circumstance of a goddess who just spent the entire day wrestling unspeakable horrors into submission.

Isabel looks up from the kitchen table and the article she’d been reading, raises an eyebrow, and says,

“Are you hurt?”

Diana flings off her cloak and unlatches her boots.

“No.”

And then she’s disappeared up the stairs, and the shower’s running before Isabel’s face can settle into a worried frown.

* * *

Later, Isabel hears the entire story in gory detail about an averted alien attack, and she makes sure her wife is properly rewarded for saving the world. Later, when Diana is lying back, one arm over her closed eyes, she asks about the first day of summer camp. And Isabel props herself up on one arm and says, _My student is Luthor’s daughter._

But Diana simply lies there, breathing, unworried.

_Is that an issue?_

_I don’t think so. She seems earnest enough._

_Do you want to borrow the lasso?_

_It—it is not that kind of camp, Diana! Honestly, what will they say if word gets out that I’m lassoing my student—_

_I thought you learn things like that at summer camps… how to tie knots and such._

_I’m going to tie YOU into a knot._

* * *

The program has its own routine. All meals are served in the cafeteria, but Lena prefers to wake early, walk along the Seine with the joggers and quaint men with their dogs, and then find some cafe in the city where she can drink coffee, eat a croissant, and read a journal article or two before heading to the lab.

There are afternoon seminars, daytime tours through the city and museums, evening lectures, but mornings are for those who are brave enough to take them on.

Once, she spots Dr. Isabel Maru walking with a tall, brunette woman. They are strolling through the streets together, drinking coffee, deep in conversation. Lena watches them as they walk away, but she doesn’t recognize the other woman as one of the faculty or another renown scientist.

She would remember a face like that.

* * *

LuthorCorp is famous for innovative technological creations, and Lena went to MIT to study engineering. But there is something fascinating about chemistry that she knows is important for her understanding of science, and the future of the company that bears her name.

Her first instinct is to create a weapon. To combine elements, run tests, and form something that is powerful and deadly. Something to prove she’s worthy of the name Luthor.

But as she says this, sitting on a barstool at a clean workstation, Dr. Maru takes off her glasses, and looks at her for a long moment. And when she’s finished, her mentor’s face is serious, unsmiling.

“Destruction is easy.” Her tone is not judgemental, but contemplative. Assessing. “There is a time and place for it, of course. But it is easy to destroy, simply by disregarding the rules. Light a fire. Poison the atmosphere. Split an atom. There’s little risk, when your goal is ruin.”

“I didn’t know this was also a philosophy convention, Dr. Maru,” Lena says, but she’s grinning, and enjoying every moment. The chemist’s lip lifts into her characteristic smirk, but it fades again almost immediately.

“Destruction is _mediocre,”_ Isabel Maru says, rising and walking to the opposite side of the lab, and then strolling back without changing a thing. “And it’s not just tangible destruction, weapons and bombs. Science is the art of discovering the _truth._ But for many of these students—and teachers—their truth is in sustainability; specifically, the sustainability of their own bank accounts, in their own place in the world.”

“So, what, I should go off in a cabin in the woods on my own and think about my purpose in life, like Thoreau?”

“You should push yourself to your full potential. Destruction never comes from a place of potential, it comes from a place of insecurity.”

* * *

Isabel gives a lecture on quantum entanglement. Diana slips into the auditorium as the previous speaker leaves the stage, and she immediately spots Isabel’s little prodigy in the crowd, sitting alone, a notebook full of scribbled notes on her knee. Diana strolls down the dark aisle and slides into the seat next to her. Lena Luthor looks surprised, but Diana flashes her a quick smile, then turns away and applauds loudly as Isabel emerges.

The lecture is enlightening.

The young Luthor practically transcribes the entire thing.

_I’m sorry, I don’t believe we’ve met,_ she says as the lights come back on to their full brightness, and the scientists begin to mingle and brag with one another. Diana turns to look at her properly for the first time. She’s a pretty young thing, poised and sophisticated and vain, with an arrogant, lopsided smile, and knowing, watching eyes.

_I’m Diana. It’s lovely to meet you._

* * *

“I’m sorry about Diana. She said you took wonderful notes, though. She was quite impressed.”

Lena looks up from the data she’s coding. Isabel is unpacking her lunch and dinner and storing it into the mini fridge. There’s a communal fridge and break room at the end of the hall, but neither woman ventures there often, choosing to stay in the social safety and locked concentration zone of the lab. Isabel pulls out a bag of kale chips and tosses it across the table towards her.

“What is this?”

“Kale. It’s the next new food fad.”

“Huh. That has a nice ring to it.”

Isabel pauses and looks at her with that half-skeptical, half-teasing smile that Lena’s grown use to over the last month.

“Come on: The Next New Food Fad, it has TV show title written all over it,” Lena says, pushing aside her laptop and opening the bag of chips, adding, “I mean, I would watch it.”

“Well, it sounds like the perfect mix of nutrition, agriculture, and sociology,” Isabel replies airily, booting up the main desktop so she can check over Lena’s work. The younger woman hums appreciatively as she swallows a mouthful of kale, and picks up the package, scanning the nutritional content.

“How the hell does this have 300% Vitamin K?”

_“Next up on NNFF, Dr. Lena Luthor asks local farmers how local vegetable dares to have its natural vitamin content-”_ Isabel says without looking at her.

“All right, all right,” Lena grins, tossing aside the snack and pulling her laptop towards her once more. Isabel laughs and loads SPSS on the desktop, reaching for the folder with the raw numbers. Lena watches her for a moment, fingers suspended over her keyboard, half-way through her data entry, wondering.

“What’s wrong?” Isabel still hasn’t turned around. Lena opens her mouth to say, _Oh, it’s nothing,_ or to crack a joke, but instead, she says,

“Who _is_ Diana?”

She winces when Isabel doesn’t answer for a moment, although it could just be because she’s in the middle of comparing some figures, which is probably what Lena should also be focusing on right now. But Isabel nods once, sets the folder down into her lap, and turns to look at her.

“Diana is my wife.”

Lena stares.

“She works at the Louvre… you should come over one of these days. She’s been trying to develop a laser that will help with art restoration.”

* * *

Diana is delighted when Isabel and Lena appear in her wing of the Louvre late one afternoon after closing. She takes them on a full tour, rushing nothing, and Isabel cannot help but suppress a laugh every time a staff member or security guard rushes forward, beginning some apology or accusation about the museum being closed, only to stop mid-step at the sight of Diana. _Je suis tellement désolé, Dr. Prince,_ they say, one after the other. Diana just waves graciously, greets them by their names, and tells them good night.

Once, as they walk amongst the Greek sculptures, Lena asks Diana if she’s ever had a likeness made of her. _I bet you’d fit right in._ She’s blushing furiously, but Diana simply smiles, wraps an arm around her and pulls her over to a statue of Zeus.

_Let me tell you the story of how I came to be._

This is not the story that Diana tells the young Luthor, but Isabel watches as Lena stares at the statue with wide eyes, and she smiles to herself. 

(Later, Isabel tries to call a taxi for her, but Lena waves her offer away, making up some story about meeting for drinks with friends across the bridge. Isabel doesn’t believe her, but she and Diana kiss her cheeks, and they go their separate ways.

Once they’re out of earshot, Lena turns around, and she watches as they walk away, hand in hand, already laughing together in the dusky light, Diana’s slender hand upraised as she calls a taxi to take them home.)

* * *

Some nights, Lena can’t sleep, and she tosses and turns until she drags herself out of bed, throws on some clothes, and walks across the lawn to the lab building.

One time, Isabel is there, sitting at an empty workstation, writing in a notebook, listening to soft classical music, a rough draft of their findings pulled up on her laptop.

“...Dr. Maru?”

And Isabel looks up at her for a long moment, then smiles and shakes her head.

“So this is how you manage to get so much work done.”

“No, I don’t always—I mean, I couldn’t sleep, but if you’re busy, I don’t need to be in—"

“Not at all. Don’t worry about me.”

Lena wakes up the desktop and sits, pulling her hand through her tangled hair as she waits for it to boot up. It takes its time, and Lena reaches into the mini fridge for one of the sparkling waters Isabel had brought in.

“Trouble at home?”

It’s a strange thought, Dr. Maru and her perfect wife ever having marital troubles, but Lena grew up in a family of scientists: she knows how grating the life can be. Or maybe it was just life as a Luthor.

“No. Diana’s away, on a—an unexpected business trip. I thought I would get more work done here.”

“An unexpected business trip for museum curating?” Lena asks, popping the top of her drink, and offering one to Isabel.

“Her work can be demanding,” Isabel says, nodding her thanks as she takes the drink, but her eyes are fixed on Lena’s face. She glances up at her mentor, but quickly looks away. Sometimes it was hard to remember that the rest of the world didn’t work on lies and deceptions. Just because Luthor business trips were rarely actual business trips didn’t mean that other, normal people couldn’t go on them.

“And what about you?”

Lena’s gaze darts back over to Isabel’s face. The woman is staring at her like a scientist, but her eyes are soft and caring enough that Lena doesn’t bristle.

“What about me?”

“Do you have someone keeping you up at night? Someone in the States?”

Lena’s mouth can’t seem to decide if it wants to grin or grimace, so she goes with a forced laugh.

“I—no. I mean, I dated in high school, but I’ve just been so busy with my studies at MIT that…” But her voice trails off as she realizes the script isn’t necessary, not really, not if she doesn’t want it to be. She takes another drink from her can of bubbly water.

“It’s kind of an issue now. A recent issue, in America.”

Isabel waits, following suit by taking a sip from her drink, and staring down at the white countertop between them.

“I mean… we—we have a President saying he’s going to ban it, and Kerry keeps flip-flopping, and states are scrambling to ban or approve, and I…”

Lena pauses to collect her thoughts and herself. The mini fridge begins to run, as if to fill the awkward silence, and she smiles wryly.

“I mean, I’ve never cared about what anyone thinks about me. I really don’t. But everything I do is scrutinized by people who dislike my family, and I can’t, I can’t give them any ammunition for no good reason, I can’t just—put myself out there, not without knowing the legal consequences. I can’t disappoint my family like that.”

Isabel looks at her, then looks away. The fridge hums happily in the background. Lena goes back to tugging the tangles out of her hair.

“It makes life harder. Being with someone,” Dr. Maru finally says, and she’s still looking away as Lena dares at glance at her. “It’s hard. Legally, socially. Personally.”

Isabel rises from her seat and strolls around the counter to where Lena is sitting. And she puts a gentle hand on her shoulder.

“But it’s worth it.”

* * *

(Later, Lena falls asleep over the computer keyboard, and she dreams that one of Diana’s warrior statues comes into the lab and Isabel reaches up and kisses the newcomer so tenderly, it makes Lena’s heart ache. And then she’s being carried across the lawn in the dark by someone wearing cold armor, and then she’s being laid across her bed, the covers pulled up over her sleeping figure.

When she stumbles into the lab around noon, Isabel asks if she made it back to her dorm all right. Apparently, she’d left in the earliest hours of the morning, bumbling across the green like a sleepwalker. And Lena remembers her dream of Isabel and the statue, turns an embarrassing shade of red, and mumbles something affirmative.)

* * *

Lena Luthor is going to find the cure for cancer.

She doesn’t find the cure for cancer. Not in Summer 2004, that is.

But she came closer than she ever thought she would.

When the two months are over, the camp holds a mini-conference, and Isabel and Lena present their findings.

She makes a poster. She does a presentation. She takes questions.

And in the end, she gains the respect of her colleagues, shakes hands with some of the finest scientists in the world, and hears offer upon offer of future collaboration.

Her family would be proud.

* * *

Somehow, she didn’t realize that the day of the conference would be the last time she sees Dr. Maru. Everyone goes home that evening. Her flight to Metropolis is scheduled for seven.

But Isabel Maru finds her before she leaves, hugs her tight and makes her promise to come over for dinner at her and Diana’s house any time she’s in the city.

Lena says a rushed, scattered _thank you for everything, really._ And then she’s running for the bus to the airport. There’s more she wanted to say. More she wanted to thank her for than just the science, the research.

But she settles in for the eight hour flight, puts on some classical music on her iPod Mini, and closes her eyes.

And she dreams of walking at night along the Seine, laughing and stealing kisses with a woman as the moonlight ripples along the restless water.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this little AU-ish fic! :)


	2. Prime Earth, 2004-2014

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter mostly focuses on what Lena was doing during the events of MoS and BvS, ending right before her move to National City.

_“Hi, Isabel, it’s me—it’s Lena. Um... I got your message, and I was just returning your call. I’m sorry, I was in class and I missed you, and you’re probably teaching right now, but I just wanted to say I would love to join you and Diana in Switzerland for Christmas…”_

* * *

Isabel and Diana’s villa is directly on Geneva Lake, and the entire back of the house is glass. The lake is cool and misty in the morning, sparkling and restless during the day, and a wide, glassy, starry expanse at night.

It’s a warm home, tastefully decorated and brimming with books and antiques. Lena wanders up and down the hallways, staring out over the smooth water as she sits on the staircase, listening to the sounds of famous German arias or classical piano pieces echoing from the record player downstairs. Occasionally, the sounds of Diana and Isabel’s soft laughter or low, murmuring voices trickle up to her ears, and she finds herself smiling a small, melancholy smile.

Neither Isabel nor Diana tell her to snap out of it. She’s not sad, after all. She escaped the trauma of her childhood, and she lives as beautiful a life as she could imagine, a life full of meaning and purpose. And yet, she glances down towards the kitchen as Diana raises her voice to shout something about _the oven is on fire, are you sure this is the right way..._

And Lena hugs her knees, resting her head against her arm, and stares out the window until the sun sets and Isabel calls her down for dinner.

(It’s during this visit, less than six months after Isabel and Lena met during summer camp in Paris that Isabel and Diana sit her down, and with the low, warm light of the fire flickering in the background, they tell her a wild story about world wars and poisons and trenches and goddesses and hidden islands. Isabel, she knew bits and pieces about from her own research into the woman’s history.

But Diana is unexpected. Bizarre. Fascinating.)

* * *

_“Isabel?”_

_“Lena.”_

_“Do you ever get tired of me?”_

_“...oh, child, are you drinking again?”_

_“Don’t, I mean it... I just, I’m always calling you and bothering you and wanting to talk, and you have your own life, I mean, you’re practically a legend, and you should be focused on your work and your students and—and Diana—”_

_“I never get tired of you, love.”_

_“...I don’t believe you.”_

_“It doesn’t matter. What matters is that I care about you, and you could never be a bother. All right?”_

_“But—”_

_“That was a yes or no question, Miss Luthor.”_

_“Yes, ma’am.”_

* * *

The next summer, Lena Luthor earns her doctorate, days after her 22nd birthday.

When she’s 24, her father disappears, presumably lost at sea.

He leaves the company to Lena.

Lillian Luthor keeps her step-daughter in the dark, pays off the lawyers, and installs Lex as the heir of LuthorCorp.

He quickly establishes himself as the most powerful man in Metropolis, donating generously, hosting galas, building labs.

Lena knows when she’s not wanted.

And so she travels. Learning the stories of the people. Apprenticing under some of the most innovative scientists in the world, listening to the ideas and theories that will define the scientific fields in her generation.

She visits poverty-stricken slums, remote villages, disaster zones, and she builds schools, houses, businesses for women to work and earn a living.

She learns the names of the people who matter.

She also learns their secrets.

* * *

_“Anyway, I’ve raised the reward money to three million, but there just doesn’t seem to be any trace of him… it’s been years, Isabel, and I just… I don’t know where I belong anymore, except when I’m with you and Diana... I mean, my mother never wanted me, and Lex is so busy running the company—I always thought we would do it together, but nowadays I barely see him, and it just feels all wrong somehow, like my mother was right, I’m not a Luthor, I never was a Luthor, and I don’t even know if I want to be a Luthor if this is how—oh, shit... my driver is here, and you’re teaching, and I’m sorry, I drank so fucking much tonight—you would’ve been disgusted, Isabel, God, you would’ve been so ashamed of me—but it still doesn’t feel like enough…”_

* * *

She’s in rural Tibet, sipping butter tea, with the wind and snow flurries whirling around outside the shack, and a heavy yak cloak draped over her shoulders. The fires are burning brightly as she listens to the elders tell their stories… LuthorCorp may have brought electricity and technology to these people, but their pride would always be in their traditions, in their history... the children keep sneaking in and waving their toys in her face, _look, Lena, look, look, Lena,_ _look,_ they whisper, and she nods respectfully towards the storytellers as she picks up the precious little things and lets them sit in her lap and play with her hair and her strange clothes until they get impatient and run off to the corner, where the new television is playing a staticky documentary on some station picked up from a distant city…

And then her visit is interrupted by a chilling message from a _General Zod_ , broadcasted via the television and power that her own family brought to this place...

She returns to Metropolis immediately, and watches the news coverage side by side with Lex and Lillian from the safety of the lab as the aliens attack the city, causing millions of dollars of destruction, killing thousands.

Lex turns on his heel and strolls out after the first building goes down.

Lena watches him leave, thinks about going after him, but then the aliens themselves are spotted on the screen, flying through the air, she can’t stop watching.

They look like humans.

They look exactly like humans, in strange suits. And a chill runs down Lena’s spine as she realizes that if they were dressed in normal, everyday clothes and walked past her on the streets of Metropolis, she probably wouldn’t even look twice…

* * *

_“I mean, do YOU ever wonder? Being… one of them, sort of.”_

_“Of course... but this world is not a welcoming place for those who are different. If there are others, and they wish to stay in hiding, that’s their choice.”_

_“What if that choice leads to destruction, innocent lives lost?”_

_“There are many things that lead to destruction. A person can’t take responsibility for how others act just because they’re from the same species or planet or country.”_

_“So if the Amazons attacked the U.K. or Washington, or anywhere—and they did it for you, you wouldn’t take responsibility?”_

_“Lena…”_

_“I’m scared, Diana, everyone’s scared.”_

_“I know. I know, and there’s nothing wrong with being scared. But don’t let your fear make you reckless.”_

_“‘...destruction comes from a place of insecurity?’”_

_“...did someone I know tell you that?”_

_“Actually, I don’t know if you know her, but you should meet her. She’s a complete ass.”_

_“Darling, you are Isabel all over again.”_

_“Is that a good thing?”_

_“It’s the best thing.”_

* * *

“Yes, speech, speech… open bar… the end.”

Diana glances back at her, and Lena shakes her head, her lips pressed together into a frown. It’s been weeks since she’s seen her brother, and she only showed up at this gala because she hoped to catch him at some point. He seems twitchy, nervous, nothing at all like that calm, self-assured boy from her childhood.

“The bittersweet pain among men is having knowledge without power, because… because that is _paradoxical,_ and um…”

Lena shifts uncomfortably, heart pounding, face flushed from secondhand embarrassment as she glances around at the sea of pitying faces.

_Please, please just stop, just stop _—__

“...thank you for coming. Please drink, drink!”

Diana sets her empty champagne glass onto an offered tray and makes a beeline for her, pointedly ignoring the open stares from both the governor's husband and that Gotham playboy Bruce Wayne…

“He’s not well.”

Diana’s hand is cool, reassuring on her arm, her eyes serious and concerned as they stare down into hers. She looks magnificent.

“I’ll talk to him,” Lena replies, glancing sideways at the other guests. The music has started again, and people are beginning to take notice of their surroundings, looking for familiar faces, for people to leech onto. “Are you leaving?”

Diana has that determined look in her eyes, and her gaze is as restless as Lex’s as it sweeps over the room.

“Yes, I think so. Do you want to ride with me or—”

Lena is staying with Isabel and Diana while they’re all in Metropolis. It’s better than holing up in that cold, empty house with her critical, disapproving mother.

“No, I’ll have my driver pick me up as soon as I catch up with Lex. You go ahead, I want to watch the boys as your pretty backside leaves the room.”

Diana gives her a look, but her eyes are sparkling with amusement. “Don’t _kill_ anyone.”

“I make no promises.”

The goddess grins and presses a light kiss to her cheek, then disappears into the crowd. Lena watches as the suits throw double takes at her smooth, gloriously bared back, and she wonders what it’d be like to kill two or three of them, for fun.

But then she hears her brother’s voice and remembers why she’s here.

“Lena! Of all unlooked-for surprises!”

“What on earth, that speech was fucking _terrible,”_ Lena scolds, hugging him tight.

“Yes, well, they’re all too drunk to remember a word of it in the morning,” Lex replies, shrugging—and shrugging her off.

“Next time let _me_ make the speech,” she says, grinning, but he’s watching the crowd, and she glances around the room and shivers. Miserable, unfriendly faces, the whole lot of them.

“Aha, look, Bruce Wayne and Clark Kent are talking. I must—I must introduce them.”

“Lex, are you running away, it’s been weeks—”

“I’m sorry, but a host must host! Do drink some more wine, won’t you? I’d hate for Mother to get stuck with all the leftovers…”

And then he’s gone, pushing his way through the crowd, eagerly greeting two men who don’t look happy to see him.

* * *

_“I need to ask a favor.”_

_“Oh. All right... does Isabel know you’re asking this?”_

_“Lena!”_

_“I’m sorry, I couldn’t help it.”_

_“Naughty girl... listen, I need to get into the glove compartment of a locked sports car…”_

* * *

The night Lex is arrested is the night Lena sees Diana in her armor for the first time.

“Superman is dead.”

Isabel is quiet. But her eyes never leave Diana’s bowed head, her hair falling over her crown to shield her face

“And the creature?”

“Also dead.”

Diana keeps walking, and soon the sound of running water can be heard in the living room.

Isabel doesn’t ask Lena if she wants to leave to find her mother. She knows that she has to, eventually. But not a single moment before.

* * *

Lena does some research of her own, discovers that Alexander Lionel Luthor originally intended to leave the lion’s share of his wealth and business to his daughter, not his son.

She refuses to speak to her mother for months.

* * *

It’s summer in Paris, and the windows are open. Isabel is in the kitchen, sipping a glass of wine, listening as the cook goes on about her granddaughter’s soccer game this past weekend, when the butler runs past in the hallway.

“Dr. Maru—Dr. Prince has returned and she—ah…”

But the butler keeps running, shouting to the maids something about warm water and towels, and Isabel pushes her way out of the kitchen.

And Diana is there, blood splattered across her body and armor, and in her arms is the unconscious body of a man in a bulky suit…

Isabel hisses, then waves impatiently for the maids to come forward with the linens.

“Put him down—here, not on the carpet, _God,_ Diana, what happened?”

Isabel’s hands search his armor, and she finally finds the button that releases the metal plates, revealing a badly burned body.

“It’s gone. Their world is gone… she’s gone.”

Isabel steps back, and the servants rush to pull apart the armor piece by piece, applying salve to the burns, checking vitals.

“Are you all right?”

Diana nods once, but she’s staring at Isabel, waiting. And Isabel glances back down at Alexander Luthor’s body, then sighs and says,

“Get Lena on the phone.”

* * *

_I need to tell you something. Something about your mother._

Alexander Luthor is lying in the best guest bedroom of the Maru-Prince household when Lena arrives. She had just gotten away from a meeting with new investors when she looked at her phone and saw a missed call and an urgent message from Isabel Maru. And then the next thing she knew, she was on a plane for Paris, praying she’d make it in time to see a man who’d been presumed dead for eight years.

His first words are shattering. He raises his hand as she rushes forward, and his arm is shaking, as if it’s taking every bit of energy he has to stop her from embracing him. She leans over him, presses a hand against his clammy face, and he looks so familiar that she wonders if this is all just a cruel trick.

“...my mother is dead.”

“Yes.”

“I know, I remember, I was there—”

“No. Lena… your mother, that was not… her.”

Lena stares.

“...what are you saying?”

Her voice is almost as faint as his.

“I… we met, when I was traveling.”

“I _know_ that.”

“She died… yesterday. Trying to save her earth.”

Died.

Yesterday.

Her earth.

“Her… her _earth?”_

* * *

_Your life is a lie._

_You have a mother. From another Earth. She died trying to save it from destruction._

_Her name was Lois…_

* * *

Alexander Luthor falls asleep soon after changing her entire world, and Lena stares at his peaceful face for a long moment, then pushes her way out of the building, ignoring the women and cats and fact that she gets lost twice in that enormous house before she shoves open a door that leads into the night.

For a while she paces up and down the bridges, walking from one to the other, completely unaware of the loud tourists and bustle from the restaurants and pubs. But as she keeps walking, the clamor fades to a low murmur, and she is alone with the sounds of the river, and crickets, and the screaming inside her own head.

She is sitting on some bench in some park, staring up at a bug buzzing around a flickering street lamp when Isabel emerges from the dark and sits beside her.

* * *

_So is everyone I know lying to me?_

_Lena…_

_No, I’m pretty used to it by now. I just didn’t think that you… would be one of them._

_I have never lied to you._

_Fine. But you should have told me._

_I wanted to. Every day, I wanted to tell you, but I couldn’t. It wasn’t my secret to tell. People are entitled to their secrets, Lena. People have the right to choose when they want something known, and you have to respect that, even if it doesn’t seem right…_

* * *

“Are you hurt?”

They’re standing on a bridge, and the wind is cold as it ripples over the water. But the reflection of the glowing city over the restless surface is warm, comforting.

And Isabel is standing beside her.

Lena stares down as the water laps its way along to the sea. The last time she’s felt this cold inside was when Lex was arrested, and her mother refused to look at her as she cleaned her son’s empty room. Always, _always_ some kind of family drama...

She turns and stares at her mentor’s face, not bothering to soften her expression. The chemist looks as serious and striking as she had that one summer ten years ago.

_It makes life harder… but it’s worth it._

Lena raises a hand and gently presses her palm against the woman’s left cheek, where once, regret and pain had caused her to burn half of her face away.

“Yes.”

There’s a cold, breathless silence between the two women, then Lena takes a deep breath.

“But don’t let me walk away.”

Her voice cracks on the last word. The tension and worry leaves Isabel’s face, and her eyes are glassy as she steps forward, wrapping her arms around her, holding her tight. Lena buries her face in her shoulder, and she allows herself to feel.

The moon is shining brightly overhead.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!! 
> 
> 1) I know it's not explicit here, but Lena’s mom is Superwoman on Earth-3. In _Crisis on Infinite Earths,_ Alexander Luthor finds her just before she’s killed by Anti-Matter, and in the _Darkseid War_ storyline, she gives birth to his child. (It's two different versions of Luthor, but fight me.)
> 
> 2) Also, how do we not know who Lena's mom is in SG yet??? The way it's going with Kara being SG and Sam being Kryptonian and Jimmy being Guardian, it'd be a SURPRISE if her mom wasn't an super something...
> 
> 3) It says somewhere that Lena is 24-ish in SG, but I'm going with Katie's actual age because fuck that.
> 
> 4) In the next chapter, Lena makes it to National City and (finally!) meets Kara.


	3. National City, 2015

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> SUPERCORP

Lena doesn’t like reporters.

She doesn’t _personally_ dislike them; there were always one or two clamoring around since her childhood, whether it was teen magazines wanting interviews with the wealthy young heiresses of the world, or a “30 under 30” wanting to rank her alongside some social media monger or lucky astronomer. But after Lex’s arrest, they became insistent, relentless, and _everywhere._

Lena stays with Isabel and Diana until the fateful day when her father disappears from his room without a note or a goodbye (Isabel had rolled her eyes when the servant rushed in with the news, and Diana had offered to go after him, but Lena was already tired of thinking about the man and the cloud of deception he’d cast over her entire childhood.)

With the departure of Alexander Luthor, Lena no longer has reason to linger. But Paris is quiet. Peaceful. And at night, she can walk the streets without anyone following her, recognizing her, accosting her.

But her phone rings incessantly, and it’s with reluctant hugs and kisses goodbye that Lena finds herself on her private plane, headed to the dry desert of Southern California.

* * *

_Two reporters for you, Miss Luthor… Daily Planet._

Lena contemplates throwing them both off the roof and watching them fall and fall and fall…

But sooner than later, the press would’ve showed up anyway, and it’s better there’s only two from a respectable newspaper, rather than a whole gaggle crowded outside the doors of LuthorCorp’s new headquarters.

“There’s a perfectly reasonable explanation for why I wasn’t aboard the _Venture_ yesterday.”

“Well, that’s why we’re here.”

Lena makes a deliberate show of hanging up her coat and purse, internally rolling her eyes at Lois Lane’s smug voice. As far as reporters go, the Pulitzer winner is one of the best, but that doesn’t change the fact that she really is kind of a—

“Lucky is Wonder Woman saving the day,” she says, stopping herself from finishing that thought. Diana and Lois are friends, she can’t be insulting her friend’s friends like that.

“And Supergirl was there, too.”

Lena startles and glances at Lois’ companion for the first time: a frumpy, eager little thing who seems surprised at the sound of her own voice.

“And who are you exactly?” Lena says airily, pushing past her to pour herself a glass of water.

_Kara Danvers, CatCo Magazine. Sort of._

So now they’re training the interns to hate her. Wonderful.

“I’m just a woman trying to make a name for herself outside of her family. You understand that.”

Lois Lane doesn’t look convinced. Lena sighs. But of course Metropolis would be the last place for a Luthor to find—

“Yeah.”

Lena turns at the sound of a small voice. The intern is staring wide-eyed at her. Lena stares back, and for the first time since leaving France, she finds herself looking into an understanding face.

* * *

“Anyways, the _Daily Planet_ wrote up a nice article, and I think I’ll personally send a copy to Lex… teach that boy a lesson.”

Isabel doesn’t reply, but she reaches into her lap, and a cat ear moves into the frame.

“I mean, life is difficult enough trying to recover the family name after everything he did, does he have to send _assassins_ after me as well?”

“Are you all right?” Isabel says quietly, reaching for her cup of tea and frowning as a yawning cat face pushes into the camera frame and then disappears again.

“I’m perfectly fine, I got rescued by some… FBI agent and superhero—some Super… woman. Girl.”

“Oh, right. Supergirl. From the _Venture.”_

“Right, Supergirl, that’s the one… does Diana know her? I mean, they saved the plane together.”

“Diana and I don’t talk about work.”

Lena laughs aloud, and the sound grates on her nerves. She must be more worked up than she realized.

“Please. I’ve spent weeks at your houses, you two tell each other everything,” she replies, softening her tone. Isabel finally flashes a smile at her.

“You’re the one on the ground, Lena Luthor. Do your own research.”

“You are so helpful,” Lena says, rolling her eyes.

 _“Are_ you all right?”

“Of course, I mean, it couldn’t have gone better: I _personally_ shot the guy, and the FBI and a Super showed up, and no one got arrested...”

“Lena.”

And Lena sighs and leans back in her chair. And Isabel stares pensively back at her from her home office, five thousand miles and nine time zones away.

“I’m a CEO now, Isabel. I’m the director of L-Corp, I’m a public figure, the last free member of my family. And I can’t crack, I can’t break. I can’t let them get to me.”

Isabel opens her mouth to reply, but a disembodied voice comes over the intercom.

“Two reporters from the _Daily Planet_ to see you, Miss Luthor.”

There are some voices in the background protesting the wording, and the sound cuts out. Lena reaches out and presses a button to reply.

“Just a minute, Jess.” Lena’s voice cracks on the last word, and she lets her hand slide away from the phone. Isabel is still staring at her, but Lena spins slowly around in her chair, staring out at the overcast sky, the spread of buildings stretching out to the horizon, listening as the air funnels quietly through the room, as Isabel’s cat purrs in her lap.

“It’s just hard to be human when people don’t see you as one. But I’ll work it out. I’ll work through it, I’ll be fine.”

“Lena.”

“No one calls me that anymore, Isabel. It’s ‘Miss Luthor’ this and ‘Miss Luthor’ that—”

 _“Lena,”_ Isabel repeats, and Lena slowly spins back around. Isabel is staring back at her, and her expression is so soft, Lena almost reaches out to her, forgetting the screen, and the time zones, and the distance.

“Don’t let them turn you into a monster, _cariño…_ it’s what they want.”

A lump rises in Lena’s throat, and she leans forward, wrapping her arms around herself.

“Isabel—”

“And don’t keep those reporters waiting. They get impatient.” Isabel’s tone is brisk, and she’s looking away, distracted by the cat leaping out of her arms. But Lena notices as she brushes her hand quickly over her face before turning back to give her an attempt at a stern look, and Lena shakes her head, smiling.

“Thank you.”

* * *

_I was wrong about you, Miss Luthor. I’m sorry._

Lois Lane is returning to Metropolis. Lena isn’t sad to see her go, but she thanks the reporter graciously for her article on L-Corp, and manages to not roll her eyes at the cheesy apology lobbed in her direction.

But Lois is not alone: The intern is back, and for a moment, Lena contemplates telling the poor thing that white and pink aren’t her colors, but she finds herself saying something else, and those blue eyes dart up from where they’d been staring at her shoes.

_Well, like I said, I’m not a reporter…_

She seems so young, standing in Lois’ shadow, and yet she stares at Lena like she’s never seen another woman before, and Lena laughs.

“I hope this isn’t the last time we talk?” she says to the room in general, but it’s Kara Danvers who replies,

“I hope not, either.”

* * *

There’s something about that girl.

_Supergirl was there, too._

_And who are you, exactly?_

Wonder Woman roams the world, stopping attacks and bringing peace, but Diana Prince is no less stunning, impressive, heroic. Lena can still remember that fateful Christmas, all those years ago, when Diana had brought out a plate of cookies, curled up on the couch next to her small wife, smiled knowingly across the room at her, then said,

_My name is not Diana Prince._

Supergirl doesn’t disappear after saving Lena from Lex’s assassins. She’s constantly on the news, rescuing this, saving that, making appearances. She seems especially partial to _CatCo._

A publication not known for its hard hitting journalism.

And then there’s the fact that Kara turned up in her office with someone like Lois Lane, star journalistfrom the _Daily Planet._

Lena lived in Metropolis for nearly her whole life.

She knows who Lois is.

She knows who Superman was.

And she thinks she knows who Supergirl is. She might be wrong.

But Luthors aren’t wrong until they’ve been proven wrong.

* * *

She makes a call to _CatCo_ and finds out that Kara has been hired as a reporter.

Lena thinks about sending flowers or a note offering a tour or interview as one of her assignments.

_Congratulations on your promotion, Miss Danvers. Why don’t you stop by L-Corp, sometime? I’d like to get to know you._

She stares at the online order form, then exits out of the page without sending the note or flowers. Instead, she huffs and marches herself across the room to the alcohol. Why can’t her love life be as simple as… as anyone’s? People meet the loves of their lives in college or boarding school all the time, or at work, or at coffee shops, or on the bus—even Isabel and Diana had a life-changing, life-saving meeting where they _knew,_ they both knew their search was over (however long it took them to finally _admit_ it to each other), whereas Lena… she sees trophy wives across ballrooms and security guards in their uniforms and rapt audience members who she’ll never see again, and she thinks about them for days without saying a single word to them.

 _“God,_ I’m pathetic.”

She reaches for the bottle again, but her intercom buzzes.

“Miss Luthor, a reporter from _CatCo_ to see you.”

The glass almost slips from her hand, but she catches it just in time.

_Shit. Shit, shit, shit, shit—_

She’s suddenly across the room, collapsing into her chair, pressing a button on her desk.

“Ah—what’s her name, I mean _their,_ what is their name?”

“Her name is Kara Danvers.”

_Of COURSE her name is Kara Danvers._

“Miss Luthor.”

Lena rises, mask on, plan ready. Kara actually looks presentable, although a bit school-girlish in her slacks and sweater and collared shirt. They shake hands. Lena is nervous. She’s not usually nervous.

“I want to show you something.”

Lena makes her way across the room, counting the steps, praying she doesn’t trip. The alien-detection device is heavy and comforting in her hand. Science, she knows. Science, she can handle. It flashes green, and she grins.

“Now you try.”

Lena holds it out, and Kara looks uncomfortable. She tries to talk her way around it, but Lena has her in a corner, just where she wants her.

The alien presses her thumb against it, and it flashes green again.

_Oh, Supergirl, you walked right into that one._

“See? Works perfectly.” Lena smiles down at the device for a moment, trying to hide her expression of glee, but she doesn’t miss as the reporter lets out a visible sigh of relief.

“So… so, um, the President’s act?”

* * *

_My name is Lena Luthor._

_My father is Alexander Luthor._

_My mother…_

“Jess, lend me your thumb.”

The secretary looks petrified for a moment, and Lena snorts.

“I just need your _thumbprint,_ press it here.”

The girl complies, and the device flashes red.

Science never lies.

Kara Danvers is an alien.

Kara Danvers is Supergirl.

* * *

“Isabel?

“—and you can’t stir it yet, you need to let it simmer…”

The cook nods, and Isabel studies the cooking paella for a moment, arms crossed, then she strolls out to where Lena is sitting at the bar, wine glass in hand.

“Your cook’s a decent student, I’ll give her that.”

“Or maybe you’re a decent teacher.”

“Flatterer.”

Lena smiles down at the floor, and Isabel pours herself a glass of wine and sits beside her.

“Are you going to tell me who she is?”

Lena glances up, raising an eyebrow.

“The cook? She’s a recent graduate at the National City Culinary Institute-”

“Not _her.”_

Lena smiles a wry smile and looks away as she takes a long sip of wine. Isabel follows suit, and a comfortable silence falls.

“I don’t know about her.”

Isabel leans back, assessing her. Lena doesn’t look at her.

“I mean, we’ve only ever seen each other for work related things. But I called _CatCo_ and asked her to come, and she did, and she’s just this nervous little thing, a wide-eyed girl surrounded by a big world, but she’s just so _unrelentingly_ good, and she’s stronger than she looks—I mean, inside of herself, she has more inner power than she realizes, it has nothing to do with the Super—”

Lena stops abruptly. Isabel is busy pouring more wine into her glass, but Lena knows, she knows the woman knows, and… and now it’s different. A faceless, nameless girl from a local magazine is different than a _superhero_ who Isabel’s certainly heard about from her superhero _wife—_

“She’s young.” Isabel’s expression is nonchalant. Unconcerned. Non-judgemental. Lena lets out a slow breath and says weakly,

“Well. Yeah. I mean, not all of us prefer women who are thousands of years old—”

Isabel swipes a hand in her direction, and Lena ducks, laughing.

* * *

_“Lena, I’m sorry, this is my fault. I just need to talk to you.”_

There’s an alien barreling into her office in the middle of the night, a scandalized Jess on her heels. Lena jumps to her feet, but Kara has already flung the doors open and is standing before her in all her glory. For once, she’s abandoned her grandma sweaters and opted for a button up and a jacket. Brown and blue. Black slacks. Perfect.

_Being a reporter looks good on you, Supergirl._

“...Kara Danvers is to be shown in right away whenever possible.”

The secretary disappears, but Kara is speechless, nervous, agitated, wringing her hands.

“I think a friend of mine has gotten involved in something shady.”

_Let me guess, is it the superheroing, or the Luthoring?_

“A _friend?”_

“No, an actual friend.”

Kara moves forward, almost standing over her, and her serious face is half in the shadows.

“I wouldn’t ask if I had any other option.”

_And yet, here you are, in my office, in the middle of the night._

Lena writes down the address, and comes around the table to press the slip of paper into her hands. Kara’s eyes dart away from her face, as if she’s afraid to look at her.

“Thanks. I owe you, big time.”

_You should know better than to make promises like that, Kara Danvers._

“I know you’ll be there for me when the time comes.”

A flicker of realization crosses her face, but her mind is distracted, and in another moment, she’s gone, and Lena’s office is empty.

* * *

Asking Kara Danvers to a party is more nervous-wracking than she anticipated. But Veronica Sinclar’s operation has been taken down by Supergirl, and the reporter seems relaxed and happy to see her.

“...and I was hoping you’d come.”

Kara beams.

“Of course I’ll come. I’m honored.”

She grins, seemingly unaware that she’s staring awkwardly, but Lena smiles back.

* * *

The party is a double play. Take down Chet Miner’s gang. Force Kara to either expose herself to her as Supergirl, or play a frantic dance with both her personalities.

It doesn’t goes as smoothly as she would have liked (the sheer panic under the table, a nervous, bumbling engineer kneeling beside her) but it goes well enough: the gang is defeated, and Supergirl flies her back to her office.

In her arms.

And then she lets herself in, Lena trailing hesitantly behind her.

_I hope we can work more together in the future._

_Me too._

Supergirl is more assured in her supersuit than in her _CatCo_ outfits. But she’s already changed, she’s more confident, more assured in the world, and with Lena.

“I… I wanted to ask...”

Supergirl looks at her, and the expression on her face is so Kara, that little, innocent, ready-for-anything grin.

“Anything. Shoot.”

Lena takes a step forward and reaches out a hand. Her fingertips brush against the blond curls, strong blue material.

_Would you like to come in for a drink?_

_I know who you are… it’s okay._

_You’re really cute, you know._

“Miss Luthor?”

“I… um. This material.” Lena pulls her hand back, gesturing almost wildly to Supergirl’s suit. “I was just curious, what’s it made from?”

Supergirl’s eye soften, and she leans forward and kisses Lena’s furiously blushing cheek.

“I’ll have them send you the pattern.” Supergirl’s fingers brush lightly against her bare arm, then she pulls away. “Good night, Miss Luthor.”

_Kara, wait..._

But she’s already gone to join the night sky, gone to fly amongst the stars and planets like the goddess she is.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!!! ~~How come every time I add a chapter, I have to extend the number of chapters in this fic???~~ The next chapter won't pull _quite_ so heavily from the TV show (since I'm not patient enough to tease SuperCorp for two years)!


	4. National City, 6/26/2015

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lena develops interesting relationships with both Kara and Supergirl.

* * *

Lillian Luthor kidnaps her.

She tries to run.

She tells them no.

But they force her to open the vault. And Lillian takes no small joy in explaining to her all of the weapons contained inside: Weapons designed to destroy aliens, specifically, Kryptonians.

_Oh, Kara, Kara, please forgive me..._

And then she’s there, as if she heard Lena’s silent plea, and the first words out of her mouth flood Lena with relief.

_Kara Danvers believes in you._

She strolls across the shadowed concrete, ignoring the armored figures with guns, ignoring the man with the glowing green chest and skin, ignoring Lillian’s false, welcoming tone. Her eyes are on Lena. Her eyes are only for Lena.

_Don’t hurt her._

She’s stepped forward before she realized it, horror pulsing through her as Supergirl writhes in pain on the ground. And then someone grabs her from behind, and she’s flying through the air, and her head hits the concrete, and she can still hear the shouting, but she can’t move, can’t get up.

“Get Lena, let’s _go.”_

Someone lifts her up, and then it’s cold, biting air, weightlessness, flying through the night.

* * *

“Well. I’m glad you’re all right.”

Supergirl looks uncomfortable. Countless times, she’s appeared in Lena’s office, pacing the smooth, shiny floor, wearing a path across her shag rug. Time and again, the Kryptonian had come to see her to discuss some evil in the world, or to rescue her from some assassin attempt.

But this time is different. This is her penthouse.

This is her bedroom.

“Supergirl, wait… wait.”

The Girl of Steel turns and stares as Lena takes a step toward her. And then another. And then another. And she places both hands on those strong shoulders, fingering the red cape. Her face is close, closer than it’s ever been before.

“Stay for a bit.”

Something flashes in Supergirl’s eyes, and Lena knows she’s thinking about her friends, her sister, the DEO, but Lena leans forward.

“Stay.”

“Lena, I—”

But Lena’s hands slide up, lingering for a moment around her neck, pressing lightly against her throat, and the girl swallows, hard.

_Lena…_

She reaches up to cup those blushing cheeks, and the alien’s skin is cool, but smooth. Soft.

_Stay._

Her lips are soft, too.

 

* * *

 

“Why won’t she _tell_ me?”

“She’s probably afraid.”

“Of what, me? My family, my last name?”

“Of the _truth.”_

“The truth is that every time she looks me in the eye she’s pretending. She’s—she’s lying, keeping secrets from me. I’ve half a mind to call her out, I mean, what does she think I am, an idiot?”

Isabel sighs, and Lena glares at her shadowed office wall.

_“What.”_

“Some people go their whole lives keeping secrets, Lena.” Isabel’s voice is soft, and that’s the only reason Lena doesn’t snap at her right there and then. “If she hasn’t told you yet, it has nothing to do with you, she’s just not brave enough—”

“She’s literally bulletproof, she fights _crime_ as her night job—”

“You’re different. You’re important to her. And telling you means that she risks losing you… you know the routine.”

 

* * *

 

Kara Danvers comes to see her later that week, the latest issue of CatCo in tow. Lena strips off her suit jacket and grins at her reflection in the mirror (is the tank top too much for a “business meeting”? Is her cleavage too obvious?). But Kara’s stuttering when she marches in and catches a glimpse of the billionaire is priceless, and _worth it._

She thrusts the magazine into Lena’s hands, and nervously accepts the offer to join her on the couch. And Lena begins to read. But she smirks every time she notices Kara’s eyes darting over her, taking in her hands, her arms, her breasts, her legs. The reporter’s hands are clasped tightly in her lap, fingers brushing against her own bare knee.

_The last time I saw you in a skirt this short, Supergirl..._

Kara blushes when Lena meets her eyes, and she grins.

“It’s a good article.”

Kara waves a dismissive hand, and agrees too enthusiastically with some random comment Lena throws out.

“So, my office is… overflowing with _flowers.”_

Lena puts on a confused face.

_“Really?_

Kara’s smile is even sweeter when she’s embarrassed. Lena wants to reach out and touch her, brush her fingertips over her hair like she had three nights ago, kiss her as nervous, adorable Kara this time, not that other, wild creature—

“Well, that’s what friends are for,” Kara says lightly, making Lena’s thoughts crash to a halt. And she studies her for a moment, taking in the abrupt words before she gives a forced smile.

“...I’ve never had friends like you before.”

And it's true. And they both know it.

Kara rises too quickly, eyes darting too nervously, and her embrace is rushed, uneasy. Lena sits back down, slowly, and watches as the bumbling reporter makes her way out of her office.

The chess piece lies heavy in her hand, and she wonders if maybe she made the wrong move.

* * *

But Supergirl arrives on her balcony late that night, and Lena barely has time to shriek and pull the covers up over her body before the alien has streaked across the room, and then she’s kissing her, good and hard, like she’s been thinking about doing this since the moment she left her office this morning.

_Supergirl…_

The blue suit drops to the floor, joined by the red skirt, cape and boots, and then Kara is sliding into the bed beside her, her skin hot and her body restless, her hair falling down to tickle her face, and her hands _everywhere._

Lena swears and bites and scratches and punches and kicks, and Kara asks again and again if this is what she wants, and Lena says, _yes, yes, yes, yes, yes..._

She falls back onto the expensive sheets, gasping for air, her body heavy and weightless all at once, and she can’t breathe, she can’t fucking… Kara’s fingertips reach up and brush the hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ears, and Lena seizes her wrist, grasping it as tightly as she can, and then she flips the Kryptonian over, pressing her down into the bed.

_My father was a human. My mother…_

Supergirl gasps and stares up at her in surprise.

_“You’re hurting me, Lena.”_

Lena loosens her hand, and catches a glimpse of red bruises on that pale wrist. For a moment, they both stare. And then Lena dares a glance at Kara’s face, and there’s something burning in the girl’s blue eyes. Something…

Something _feral._

Lena lunges forward and sinks her teeth into that long neck, and Supergirl screams.

 

* * *

 

Dating Kara Danvers as a _friend_ is fun.

They sit on roped-off decks and eat brunch. They walk along the riverfront, security guards lurking in the shadows. When a new kombucha brewery opens across the city, Lena orders a private tour for her and a guest—and some custom-made drinks as well. Kara “I never get drunk” Danvers actually gets tipsy by the time she and Lena are stumbling out of the car and walking up to her rent-controlled apartment.

Kara is laughing loudly and happily as she tells Lena some story about changing her cousin’s diapers as she fumbles with her purse. Lena finally pulls the keys from Kara’s pocket and unlocks the door.

And Alex Danvers, FBI is waiting inside, looking stern.

“Alex!” Kara exclaims. But the older woman doesn’t crack a smile, and Kara’s quickly fades. “Oh, nooooo.”

And with that long, low moan, Supergirl is turning around and making her way back into the hall. Alex stares.

“Kara, for the love of—” she pushes her way forward. “What did you _do_ to her?”

“Kombucha,” Lena says with a shrug. “I—I know she doesn’t get drunk easily so I had the brewery make a special—”

 _“Kara!”_ Alex grabs her sister’s arm and pulls her back into the apartment. “You are _dead,_  Luthor—”

“No, it’s not Lena, she’s fine. It was fun. My head feels funny. This floor is great.” Kara lands on the couch with a plop, then she curls up into fetal position and starts rubbing her cheek against the nearest pillow.

“Come on, Danvers, you have to admit, Drunk Kara is adorable.”

“Drunk Kara is _dangerous,”_ Alex snaps, and Lena raises an eyebrow.

“Dangerous? Alex, she’s just a... an innocent little journalist. She wouldn’t hurt a fly. I’ve seen her. She captures them in jars and lets them out.”

“Right.” Alex’s voice is abrupt. Careful. “Right. You’re right. That’s not what I meant, it’s just… she doesn’t drink often. She’s not used to it, her stomach.”

Lena smiles smugly and gestures towards Kara’s snoring figure, and Alex sighs.

 

* * *

 

Another night, another gala.

Diana is making her way along the back wall. Bruce Wayne is on her elbow, whispering frantically in her ear. Lena raises an eyebrow, and when Diana glances at her from across the room, she rolls her eyes.

“...enemies. We can’t afford to wait—”

“Diana Prince meets Bruce Wayne! I love it! I love bringing people together!” Lena exclaims loudly, and the conversation ends abruptly. Lena waves her half-empty champagne glass grandly and smiles at the horror on Bruce’s face. “I hope you’re not trying to weasel some fake artifacts past Dr. Prince, Mr. Wayne. Everyone knows how well she can spot a phony!”

Lena laughs and closes her hand around Bruce Wayne’s biceps with a vice grip. Once, she had spotted him at a gala, his hand pulling hard on Diana’s arm, his face smug and casual, apparently unaware that he was dangerously close to losing his hand—and maybe his entire arm. Bruce winces as Lena’s fingers grip a little tighter than necessary, then she lets go, and he pushes past them, muttering _excuse me._ Diana sighs and turns to Lena.

“You didn’t have to do that,” she says, clearly struggling to maintain her stern expression, but her eyes are sparkling with amusement. “Now he’ll think you’re a drunk.”

“Don’t worry about it, he pulls the exact same shit when he’s trying to get away with something,” Lena says cheerfully, wrapping an arm around the Amazon’s neck and pressing a kiss to her cheek.

 _“Lena…”_ Diana scolds, snatching the teetering champagne glass from her hand and sliding an arm around her waist to pull her upright. “People are starting to stare, love. Do you need me to call your car?”

“People? Who, Kara?”

“What, are you trying to make her jealous?” Diana murmurs, her eyes scanning the room as she smiles politely at the eyes darting in their direction. “Really, Lena, the world is ending and you’re trying to sow _jealousy_ between the—”

“Diana, darling, I’m a Luthor. Pride, lust, envy—it’s what we _do.”_

“Yes, Kara Danvers is staring. And now she’s walking in this direction.”

“Mmmh,” Lena sighs happily, and then she grins, leans forward to kiss Diana’s other cheek, and whispers, _You’re welcome_ in her ear.

And then she’s pulled away and disappeared into the crowd.

 

* * *

 

It’s just another morning, and the car pulls up in front of L-Corp, as it always does, but Lena waves a hand. The driver stares in confusion, and Lena presses a button on her headphones, muting the microphone.

“Just… just keep driving. Somewhere. The beach. Drive to the beach. _Go.”_

The driver pulls back into traffic without another word, and Lena turns her attention back to the news playing on her tablet, back to the woman listening on the end of the phone, on the other side of the world.

“I can’t believe this… I can’t. I can’t.”

First the alien amnesty act.

Now this.

The screen is playing a video of some man. He barely looks out of college, but he’s talking and crying, his arm slung around another man’s shoulders. They’re both holding signs, signs of protest, of victory. The screen cuts to a woman speaking gravely, angrily, like this was her battle to fight, as if she has any right to be speaking at all…

“Lena?”

“Isabel! I’m sorry, I just… God, I’m sorry, you’re on vacation, you’re supposed to be on—you’re probably sleeping—”

“Darling, it’s eight in the morning, you’re fine,” Isabel’s rebuke is amused, but Lena knows she had woken her up with her frantic phone call.

“It’s just… this is crazy, I thought it would happen. Eventually. In my lifetime, even. But I didn’t think it would be so soon.”

Marriage equality, in all fifty states.

_Maybe now Kara and I can…_

Can what? Hold hands when they arrive together at galas? Kiss each other on balconies, busy streets, public beaches? Thank each other in their publications, acceptance speeches, lectures?

_One day I’m going to marry my wife._

And then she’s crying, and she’s apologizing over and over to Isabel on the phone, _but does she remember, does she remember that moment where she realized that she didn’t have to hide, where she felt that this part of her was actually something to celebrate, something to be proud of—_

And Isabel remembers a hidden island paradise, and standing with Diana before Menalippe, and promising the most beautiful of promises to her with all of the Amazons as witnesses, and Hippolyta striding forward to bless their marriage—

And Diana emerges from the bedroom, stretching and rubbing her sleepy eyes, and she’s amazed to see Isabel sitting on the couch, her phone pressed up to her ear, and her cheeks bright with tears.

(Later, Supergirl finds Lena sitting on the beach in the shade of a huge umbrella. And she barely has the chance to get out the word _Superg-_ before the Kryptonian leans forward and presses a soft kiss to her trembling lips.)

 

* * *

 

Another night, another murder attempt.

Some thugs throw her off of her balcony. She can still hear Kara’s shouting voice from the phone on her floor as she falls.

 _I won’t die, I won’t die, I won’t die,_ she chants over and over and over. At least, she _tries._ All that comes out is a wild, high-pitched scream.

And then Supergirl is there.

“You won’t die.”

* * *

“How did you know?”

“I was ahh—ge—getting coffee with Kara Danvers when you called.”

Lena almost rolls her eyes.

It’s the first time they’ve seen each other for business as Supergirl and Lena since… since.

“Are you staying? Or are you coming back later tonight?”

Kara stares at her, her eyebrows drawn together, a strange look on her face.

“You really…”

“I really what? Almost died?”

And Supergirl marches forward, seizes her arms, and kisses her.

“You really have some _nerve,_ Lena Luthor.”

Lena kisses her back.

“So, later?”

Kara growls, and it’s the most adorable thing Lena has ever heard.

“Yes. And you’d—you’d better have food—food, waiting, when I return.”

Lena stares at her incredulously, and then laughs, shaking her head.

“What?! Just pick some up on your way back, you lazy—”

“Your food!” Kara is backing away from her now, her hand raised, pointing at her like a crazy person. “You. Yours. From _your_ kitchen.”

“Ka—Supergirl!”

“And don’t _die_ before I return.”

And then she’s gone, with Kara’s name still lingering on the tip of Lena’s tongue.

* * *

Later that night, Kara inhales three extra large pizzas and a few dozen potstickers _(what were you doing out there, running a marathon at a thousand miles an hour?!_ Lena demands, but the alien’s mouth is too full to answer).

But even later, Kara presses Lena down into the bed and runs her fingertips over every inch of her skin, like she's trying to memorize it.

_Will you please…_

_You could've died tonight._

_And I'm going to if you don't get on with it, Supergirl._

When it’s over, Lena crawls up Kara’s trembling body and she collapses down onto the soft mattress beside her. And for a long moment, they lie there, breathing.

“Tell me something I don’t know.”

The order comes out of nowhere, but Supergirl shifts and props herself up on one elbow.

“Okay,” she says gravely, leaning down to plant a kiss on Lena’s shoulder. Her breath tickles Lena’s skin, and she suppresses a giggle. “I’m an alien.”

Lena rolls her eyes. “I already _know_ that.”

Kara grins and settles down, and then says something about Krypton. Something about the flowers and sneaking out at night to fly over the fields on her uncle’s war kite. Her voice is tinged with melancholy, but it’s less grief and more nostalgia. Lena smiles. Seconds pass.

“What’s wrong?”

“Hmm?”

“Your heart, it’s racing.”

Lena stares steadily at Kara’s nose, avoiding her eyes.

“I’m going to tell you something.”

“Something I don’t know?”

“Yes.” Lena tucks a strand of hair behind Kara’s ear. “I’m an alien.”

“Come _on,_ Lena, don’t make fun—”

“My father learned how to travel between worlds. He loved it, exploring, discovering, learning… he thought it made him extraordinary. And he was always gone, even after marrying Lillian and starting a family. But when Lex was five, my father was captured on Earth-3 by a member of a criminal gang. She took him in, tortured him, interrogated him… and he fell in love with her, like the idiot he was.”

Kara is staring at her, understanding seeping into her face.

“You’re… you’re telling the truth.”

“There was a war,” Lena goes on, ignoring Kara’s stunned murmur. “My mother and her friends were captured and imprisoned. She was in a jail cell when they found out she was pregnant with me. My father came, and tried to see her, but there was a battle, aliens everywhere, gods and monsters wreaking havoc. He convinced the government that the Crime Syndicate would be helpful in the battle against the invaders. And so they were released, and they fought, but then my mother went into labor, there, on the battlefield.”

Lena glances up at Kara’s shadowed face. One secret at a time. One secret at…

“There was a... warrior. From another world. She came to help my father, to join the battle. But when she saw my mother, she stopped fighting, and she carried her to safety… she delivered me. And when the war was over, my father found us, and he brought me back to his world, hid me with a woman he’d hired.”

Lena finally looks Kara in the eye.

“You know the rest.”

“I…” Kara tries to reply, but the words sound strangled, and she clears her throat. “I can’t believe it.”

“You don’t have to believe it for it to be true.”

A long silence falls. Kara looks away.

“Now.”

“...what?”

“Is there something you want to tell me?”

Supergirl is quiet for a long moment. Then she sighs and says in a small voice,

“If you want, you can call me Kara.”

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! The next chapter will take place post-Justice For All!
> 
> Also, I'm not _super_ sure how the timeline works... Justice League takes place a year at MOST after Superman dies, and it will take a while for Lex's trial and for Lena to relocate the company, so I think it's safe to assume that Justice League/JFA is right around the corner here.


End file.
